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This a lot was most likely predictable: We have been going to love our long-term Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. Quite a bit. A number of intrepid net commenters stated as a lot after studying our introductory piece, and one even wrote a synopsis of what he anticipated to learn within the wrap-up story. We respect the assistance, however we do not take a look at autos for 40,000 miles primarily based on what we or anybody else thinks the outcomes are going to be forward of time—even when we now have sure suspicions. And, as soon as once more, the Cayman GTS proved the worth of spending numerous seat time attending to know a automobile as an proprietor would. Within the Cayman’s first 11,476 miles, we have realized some necessary issues about it we did not count on—and located that nobody’s predictions about life with the 718 have been solely right.
Certain, we thought we would dig this 394-hp flat-six-powered sportster. What we did not know is simply how a lot we would adore it. Our logbook is one lengthy love letter to the Aventurine-Inexperienced-over-Espresso fastback. Shock primary: how livable it’s. Some Porsches that put on the GTS badge are an assemblage of choices that make the automotive extra aggressive and stiffer using, so we weren’t positive if we would discover the Cayman GTS too hard-edged to make use of as an on a regular basis automotive.
These first six months have assuaged these issues. The GTS has turned out to be simply as content material and comfy cruising down the interstate on a highway journey as it’s adept at attacking switchbacks or howling its tires round an on-ramp. It rides higher than some sports activities sedans, steers as if it is an extension of your psyche, accelerates with gusto, and makes thrilling yawps because it pulls to its 7800-rpm redline. It is a sweetheart worthy of paeans, which we now have not hesitated to scribble into its logbook. Listed here are just some:
“Elegant dealing with and engine coupled with uncanny consolation and adaptability—a very epic machine.” —Technical editor Mike Sutton
“Love this automotive. Good quantity of energy. By no means uncover one thing that feels prefer it hasn’t been thought via. Signal me up.” —Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga
“The coordination and integration of the steering, suspension, and physique dynamics is classy. So pure, progressive, and predictable. A high-water mark in sports-car tuning.” —Chief model officer Eddie Alterman
“There’s one thing delightfully classic about this automotive. It expertly blends simply the correct amount of recent tech with out diluting the driving expertise. I really like driving it.” —Purchaser’s Information senior editor Drew Dorian
And the reward goes on and on, which is why the Cayman has proved to be a preferred road-trip automotive for these touring two-up and might match their gear into the equal of three carry-on luggage, two within the frunk and one below the rear hatch. Our Cayman has traveled as far north as Escanaba, Michigan, and as far south as Alton, Virginia, for a go to to Virginia Worldwide Raceway. The rest of the miles to this point have been piled on in native commuting and errand-running—pretty much as good a take a look at of every day livability as there may be.
These miles have surfaced a few minor annoyances that made it into the logbook between the epic poems of reward. Simply attempt discovering a handy storage spot within the Cayman’s cabin to your cellphone, pockets, or keys. The inside cubbies embrace an ordinary passenger-side glovebox, hard-to-reach flip-out door pockets, and a wafer-thin bin below your proper elbow, none of them simple to make use of. Issues can get loud inside as nicely; the GTS registered 75 decibels at a gradual 70-mph cruise—and that is on the graceful pavement of our take a look at monitor. Hit tough asphalt or a piece of coarse concrete on an interstate, and highway noise reverberates via the cabin. One editor puzzled why there was no on/off change for the rev-matching characteristic and why it was all the time working in Sport and Sport+ drive modes. (Flip off stability management in Sport and Sport+ modes to disable rev-matching –Ed.) One other wished for wi-fi Apple CarPlay, the shortage of which is an oversight in such an costly vehicle.
Sure, these are small points in a automotive that spoils us in so many different methods, in order that they’re simple to shrug off. The GTS has additionally us happy with its upkeep file—at the least thus far. We have made it to this point with out bending any of the GTS’s beautiful 20-inch satin-platinum-colored 10-spoke wheels, and we have spent solely $21 within the first 11,500 or so miles on maintenance-related gadgets—for 2 quarts of oil to interchange what the GTS ingested throughout that point. The just-completed 10,000-mile/one-year service, which incorporates an oil-and-filter change and a multipoint inspection, is complimentary. (We’ll be paying for future scheduled-service visits.)
We did make one unscheduled journey to the native Porsche seller for the reason that GTS arrived in mid-February, although. A warning gentle got here on for an engine-cooling-fan fault, nevertheless it had apparently cured itself by the point the automotive arrived for its checkup. Perhaps the GTS is fearful of going to the Porsche physician, as a result of one other one-off episode of digital weirdness additionally corrected itself earlier than we might take the automotive in: The air-con refused to blow chilly air on one boiling-hot day, whereas on the identical second the SiriusXM radio-station icons disappeared from the touchscreen. The chilly air got here blasting on abruptly a dozen miles into the drive, and the station-button icons slowly got here again to life by themselves over the following few days. Go determine. Perhaps it was sunspots or errant radio-frequency interference from a hostile nation’s cyberattack. All has been nicely since.
Certainly, the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0’s few minor hiccups have been simple sufficient to forgive contemplating the enjoyment it is given its many pilots. We’ll fortunately preserve rolling up the miles. As options senior editor Greg Fink put it: “If I needed to spend the remainder of my life driving solely this automotive, then I might die a cheerful man.”
Months in Fleet: 6 months Present Mileage: 11,476 miles
Common Gasoline Economic system: 20 mpg
Gasoline Tank Dimension: 16.9 gal Noticed Gasoline Vary: 330 miles
Service: $21 Regular Put on: $0 Restore: $0
The very first day our new Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 went into long-term service, it obtained snowed on. Closely. Six inches of powder, the sort skiers dwell for, piled atop a crust of ice from a blast of freezing rain that had arrived in Michigan earlier within the day. Welcome to your new residence, Cayman!
Why would we topic a automotive this good to climate this harsh? As a result of we reward Porsches for being everyday-drivable sports activities automobiles. Testing that perception requires dwelling with certainly one of our favorites from Stuttgart—we all know, powerful obligation—lengthy sufficient to expertise it in a multiplicity of driving conditions. A Cayman proprietor in Los Angeles may determine to take his or her automotive as much as Large Bear for some snowboarding; a Michigander may need to do some slip-sliding on a snowy day. We occur to know {that a} former C/D editor-in-chief purchased a brand new 911 a couple of years in the past and proceeded to make use of it as a every day driver in winter.
So, as we do with all our long-term take a look at automobiles, we fitted the Cayman with winter tires when it arrived in late winter and proceeded to interrupt it in. We’ll preserve it lengthy sufficient to rack up 40,000 miles via all 4 seasons and study issues about it {that a} quick keep might by no means reveal. We’ll take it on cross-country journeys and trundle all the way down to the nook grocery in it to choose up a dozen eggs. We’ll lean on it onerous on gnarly two-lanes. We’ll carry it to the seller for service. And we’ll file each penny spent on upkeep, gas, and repairs.
Snow or no snow, our Cayman won’t stay parked for lengthy intervals, and with good motive: It is the quintessential driver’s automotive. In spite of everything, the Cayman earned a spot on our 2022 10Best list—its sixteenth straight yr—for its “shimmering mixture of poise, grace, and grit.”
Our new Cayman arrived nicely dressed for its stick with C/D‘s employees of hot-footed drivers. It wears a coat of sweetly understated Aventurine Inexperienced Metallic paint—much better that than arrest-me purple. That is the GTS 4.0, in any case, which is Porsche-speak for “racy.” It is powered by a mid-mounted, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that spins out 394 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 309 pound-feet of torque at 5000 rpm.
If that energy curve sounds peaky, you are proper. This motor will get an enormous jolt of caffeine at about 4000 rpm—typical conduct for an unboosted Porsche engine—and it fills the intimate cockpit with an beautiful baritone wail because the revs race to the 7800-rpm redline. As if we wanted extra incentive to go quick. We opted for the six-speed handbook gearbox—in fact—and the stubby shifter strikes via the Cayman’s tightly spaced gates with precision and delicacy.
Sure, Porsche’s sensible seven-speed dual-clutch automated would chop a couple of tenths of a second from the acceleration occasions, however preliminary instrumented testing of our manual-equipped long-termer (performed after easing it via its 2000-mile break-in interval), confirmed that it is loads fast. It isn’t the simplest automotive to launch—it does not like its clutch slipped off the road—nevertheless it nonetheless busted out a 3.9-second run to 60 mph and galloped via the quarter-mile in 12.1 seconds at 118 mph. It additionally circled our skidpad at 1.03 g’s and stopped from 70 mph in 145 ft. That is applicable efficiency for a automotive carrying a Porsche badge and a $99,070 window sticker.
Ninety-nine massive is some huge cash, and our long-termer is definitely frivolously outfitted for a Porsche. Our take a look at automotive (base value: $88,750) has $10,320 in extras—a mere sprinkling by Porsche requirements. The checklist contains the particular inexperienced paint ($650), wealthy Espresso leather-based slathered on most inside surfaces ($3680), and ventilated seats ($740). We additionally added a Bose Encompass Sound audio system ($900), brushed aluminum inside trim ($900), and gloss-black-painted brake calipers ($900). Wait a minute: plain black brake calipers for 900 bucks? Yep, this can be a Porsche all proper. Not less than Porsche Energetic Suspension Administration (PASM)—which means, adaptive dampers—is customary together with Pirelli P Zero PZ4 summer season tires, measurement 235/35ZR-20 up entrance and 265/35ZR-20 rear.
So now it is on to the driving, 40K miles value. We count on to bask within the Cayman’s sweetly intuitive steering; sharp, highly effective brakes; and gutsy flat-six each time we climb behind the three-spoke steering wheel. What we won’t ensure of however hope to study is whether or not that particular driving character is matched by an equal measure of reliability although each season and scenario. We’ll report again quickly sufficient, with updates on how the Cayman’s stress take a look at goes each 10,000 miles.
Months in Fleet: 1 month Present Mileage: 3845 miles
Common Gasoline Economic system: 20 mpg
Gasoline Tank Dimension: 16.9 gal Noticed Gasoline Vary: 330 miles
Service: $0 Regular Put on: $0 Restore: $0